(1) Technical Field
The present invention relates to projection optical tools, and more particularly to LED (Light Emitting Diode) lamps, furthermore, it relates to the configuration of LED lamps suitable for use as light sources for image projection.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In today's manufacturing environment, most operations employ a blend of new technology with tried and reliable older systems. Many manufacturers feature the well proven easily used optical comparator as an inspection tool of choice for measuring parts. As competition increases in the world market, new and improved measuring tools are vital to enhance product quality as well as reduction of product cost.
During inspection of manufactured parts, optical comparators, also called profile projectors, offer a much larger field of view and cause less eye fatigue over long usage. The saying “seeing is believing” is appropriate when referring to optical comparators. Since these measurement tools project magnified images onto a glass screen to make two dimensional measurements, a tremendous amount of information about that part can be gathered in a short time simply by looking at its image.
There are many diverse types of image-capturing methods within the prior art and, accordingly, there exist arrangements with a variety of applications including a wide range of sizes. Optical comparators are easier to use than most other optical measuring tools and much more all-encompassing in the market and less expensive than the more complicated coordinate measuring machine. Their versatility, range of capabilities and return on investment make comparators indispensable and integral to any quality plan. There's hardly anything to wear out on them except for having to replace blown out incandescent lamps used as a light source for projecting a part's shadow.